1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to rear view mirrors for automotive vehicles and more particularly to a remote control rear view mirror having multiple pre-adjusted positions and which is particularly well suited for use in relatively large trucks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is well known, the rear view mirrors, particularly those provided on the right side of an automotive vehicle, are difficult to adjust for proper viewing and this has resulted in the extensive use of remote control mirrors. Briefly, the mirrors in common usage on passenger vehicles and some light trucks are electrically operated structures which allow the vehicle's operator to adjust the mirror into an infinite number of positions to suit the operator's particular viewing requirements. Usually when an operator gets into a vehicle, he will adjust the mirrors to obtain the proper field of vision prior to operating the vehicle in that it is difficult and dangerous to do so while operating the vehicle. Once the mirrors are adjusted in this manner, they will usually remain in the adjusted position for as long as the same operator is driving the vehicle. Such mirrors may be considered as using the remote adjustment capability as means for pre-adjusting the mirror to a desired single field of vision.
The above described remote control rear view mirrors work very well on passenger vehicles and light duty trucks and are very safe on such vehicles. However, they are inadequate, and sometimes even dangerous when used on large trucks such as the commonly used tractor-trailer vehicles. Such large trucks, due to their height and length, require more than a single field of vision to provide desired operating safety.
The operators of such large trucks have long realized the need for remote control rear view mirrors and several attempts have been made to use mirrors of the above described type. This type of prior art mirror has proven to be dangerous in that it demands the driver's attention while he is accomplishing what may be described as a hunt and seek type of operation, i.e., moving the mirrors while locating the new desired field of vision. And, once he has found it, the mirrors will again demand his attention while he is moving the mirrors to return them to the original, or normal, field of vision. Since an operator cannot watch both the road and the mirrors during such hunting and seeking operations, a dangerous situation occurs each time the operator needs to see a field of vision which is not normally used.
One example of a prior art remote control rear view mirror of the above described type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,664,785. This patented device carried the above described operation further by providing means for vertically raising and lowering the mirror and means for adjusting the focal point thereof. This prior art mirror is extremely complicated and did not solve the above described safety problem but instead added to operator distraction.
The remotely adjustable mirror disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,480,355 provided means for rotatably adjusting the mirror about a vertical axis only, and the structure disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,590 provides means for automatic scanning movements about a substantially vertical axis. These prior art mirrors, as in the hereinbefore discussed structures, demand the driver's attention and thus are detremental to operating safety, and in addition, they provide no means for altering the angular disposition of the substantially vertical axis of rotation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,469,901 discloses a mirror structure which is coupled electrically to the fifth wheel of a tractor trailer so that when the truck is being turned, the mirror will automatically be pivotably moved about a vertical axis an amount which is in proportion to the angular relationship of the tractor and trailer during the turn. This particular prior art mirror is a costly and relatively complex mechanism. It does, however, allow safe operation of the vehicle in that it does not demand the driver's full attention. However, it is limited, as with the prior art structure described above, to rotational movement about a fixed, substantially vertical axis.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved remote control rear view mirror which overcomes some of the problems and shortcomings of the prior art.